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Review article2017Peer reviewedOpen access

The importance of benthic-pelagic coupling for marine ecosystem functioning in a changing world

Griffiths, Jennifer R.; Kadin, Martina; Nascimento, Francisco J. A.; Tamelander, Tobias; Tornroos, Anna; Bonaglia, Stefano; Bonsdorff, Erik; Bruchert, Volker; Gardmark, Anna; Jarnstrom, Marie; Kotta, Jonne; Lindegren, Martin; Nordstrom, Marie C.; Norkko, Alf; Olsson, Jens; Weigel, Benjamin; Zydelis, Ramunas; Blenckner, Thorsten; Niiranen, Susa; Winder, Monika

Abstract

Benthic-pelagic coupling is manifested as the exchange of energy, mass, or nutrients between benthic and pelagic habitats. It plays a prominent role in aquatic ecosystems, and it is crucial to functions from nutrient cycling to energy transfer in food webs. Coastal and estuarine ecosystem structure and function are strongly affected by anthropogenic pressures; however, there are large gaps in our understanding of the responses of inorganic nutrient and organic matter fluxes between benthic habitats and the water column. We illustrate the varied nature of physical and biological benthic-pelagic coupling processes and their potential sensitivity to three anthropogenic pressures - climate change, nutrient loading, and fishing - using the Baltic Sea as a case study and summarize current knowledge on the exchange of inorganic nutrients and organic material between habitats. Traditionally measured benthic-pelagic coupling processes (e.g., nutrient exchange and sedimentation of organic material) are to some extent quantifiable, but the magnitude and variability of biological processes are rarely assessed, preventing quantitative comparisons. Changing oxygen conditions will continue to have widespread effects on the processes that govern inorganic and organic matter exchange among habitats while climate change and nutrient load reductions may have large effects on organic matter sedimentation. Many biological processes (predation, bioturbation) are expected to be sensitive to anthropogenic drivers, but the outcomes for ecosystem function are largely unknown. We emphasize how improved empirical and experimental understanding of benthic-pelagic coupling processes and their variability are necessary to inform models that can quantify the feedbacks among processes and ecosystem responses to a changing world.

Keywords

benthic; climate change; ecosystem dynamics; ecosystem function; fishing; nutrient loading; pelagic

Published in

Global Change Biology
2017, Volume: 23, number: 6, pages: 2179-2196
Publisher: WILEY

      SLU Authors

      • Associated SLU-program

      Coastal and sea areas

      Sustainable Development Goals

      Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development
      Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts

      UKÄ Subject classification

      Oceanography, Hydrology, Water Resources

      Publication identifier

      DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/gcb.13642

      Permanent link to this page (URI)

      https://res.slu.se/id/publ/82673